Previous Elections

Local elections 2nd May 2013

The Green Party stood candidates in all but three districts and boroughs in Essex and overall had candidates standing in a record 88% of seats in Essex.

James Abbott, was elected as Green County Councillor for Witham Northern division.

James is an experienced councillor and has been active in the local community since the 1980s helping local people with their concerns and working with local organisations on many projects. He has lived in the Witham Northern division throughout that time.

Essex County Council needs major reform. James will work with like-minded councillors across party lines to reduce excessive senior councillor allowances, open up all county meetings to public participation and improve sub-standard services such as highway maintenance.

The Green Party 5 point plan to reform and improve Essex County Council:

Maldon District

Janet Carden - Maldon

Bob Graves - Heybridge and Tollesbury

Jonathan King - Southminster

Local elections 2011

At the May 2011 District elections, the Greens held their 2 council seats. James Abbott polled a record 969 votes, the highest number of votes ever secured by a Green Party candidate at a Braintree District Council election. Bob Wright was elected with 689 votes to join James in representing Bradwell, Silver End and Rivenhall ward.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO VOTED GREEN ON MAY 5th 2011

On Thursday May 5th 2011 there were elections for all seats on Braintree District Council and (where contested) seats on Parish and Town Councils. The Greens retained their 2 District seats.

The Green Party stood a record 22 district candidates, giving as many voters as possible a Green choice on the ballot paper. All wards in Witham had Green candidates at both district and town levels and all wards in Braintree had Green district candidates.

By contrast there are were just 8 Lib Dem district candidates.

James Abbott - Witham candidate in 2010

James Abbott was selected as the Green candidate for Witham in early 2008. He stood in the former Braintree constituency at every General Election back to 1992. At the last General Election in 2005, and previously in 2001, the Greens were fourth in Braintree Constituency, ahead of UKIP. In 2010, the Green vote share was the highest to date in any General Election in the area.

At the 2009 County Council elections, the Greens finished second in the total vote across the 2 Witham divisions - ahead of both Labour and the Lib Dems.

Many voters have understandably become frustrated and cynical about politicians from the "main parties" over a whole range of issues, such as the MP's expenses scandal and billionaire "non-doms" funding party campaigns. The loss of life in Afghanistan and from the illegal Iraq war continues.

Locally, many people have been angered by important planning issues where their views have been dismissed - such as the behaviour of Tory Essex County Council over the Rivenhall Airfield regional waste site and incinerator and the decision by the Tories on Braintree District Council to use their political whip to force through an allocation of hundreds of houses in the countryside in Rivenhall.

The Greens offer a strong alternative to the "main three" parties in Witham constituency. James Abbott is an experienced local campaigner and councillor and is keen to be an active champion for the new Witham constituency.

The Green Party stood a record number of candidates nationally at the 2010 General Election under the banner Fair is worth fighting for.

The Greens key policies:

(1)Creating jobs, particularly in manufacturing, the Green sector and public transport;(2)Opposing sharp cuts in public spending that could make the economic situation even worse and (3)Protecting and improving the NHS; Greens oppose creeping privatisation under Labour. Greens support improvements to local maternity services, better access to NHS dentists and the development of a clinic for Witham.

The next set of local elections will be in May 2015 when all seats on Braintree District Council and Maldon District Council will be up for election.

At the last set of Essex County Council elections in 2013, the Greens moved from second place to win in Witham Northern Division.

Why vote Green ?

Because the Green Party offers a real alternative to the "main" parties.

You may not agree with everything the Greens say, but locally and nationally the Greens have stuck to their principles and policies, worked hard for communities and have not been embroiled in the expenses scandals, "cash for honours" or any of the other scandals that have hit politics in the UK in recent years. The Greens genuinely believe in cleaner politics.

The Greens are also offering clear and principled opposition to the Conservative/Lib Dem assault on public services. Yes the budget deficit needs to be tackled, but rather than savage cuts, much more should be done to close tax loop holes and save money on programmes that do not benefit people - such as Trident.

And what about Labour ? Well they hope voters will forget their record in power.

It was Labour that first introduced tuition fees and it was Labour that led this country into a series of damaging wars - that are still costing lives today. Labour pushed wasteful PFI projects into the public sector and broadened privatisation in the NHS.

Locally. it was Labour councillors voting alongside Tories who pushed through plans to build 300 houses in Rivenhall and to increase fees at Silver End village hall by up to 150%.

And it was Labour that gave the first consent for the proposed incinerator on Rivenhall Airfield in 1998 and a Labour Secretary of State that gave final planning permission in 2010.

As the Leader of Labour on Braintree District Council (BDC) said at the budget setting meeting of February 23rd

"We have supported (the Conservative administration) more often than we have opposed them."

The Greens have led the opposition to the Tories on BDC, asking probing questions at every Council meeting. More Green Councillors will mean a stronger alternative voice on the council.

The Green Party Ten Point Pledge for the May 2011 elections

Green Councillors will:

Work to increase the recycling rate to at least 70% by 2020 and continue to oppose plans for a waste incinerator at Rivenhall Airfield

Support improvements in safety and public transport, especially the rail service, cycleways and re-instating "lollipop" school crossing patrols being cut by the Conservatives

Work to help secure a 24 hour community clinic for Witham

Press for the re-instatement of the Local Committees and their support for local groups, especially those that help young people

Continue to strongly oppose excessive development on greenfield sites around Witham and in Rivenhall

Promote more investment in clean renewable energy and energy efficiency

Promote the town centres and encourage local shops in the villages and local food growing

Oppose Conservative/Lib Dem cuts to local services, especially any further threats to community halls

Protect the Witham River Walk and other greenspaces from development or damage

Work first and foremost for local people, with cross-party agreement when possible